If you love antiquing and buying antique furniture but are concerned about how it will look with your modern furniture, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways you can incorporate your favorite antique pieces into your decor.
FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE
When it comes to mixing modern and antique furniture, it’s all about finding the right balance. Start by placing dark, heavy wood pieces on or near walls then place light pieces next to the dark pieces. By putting them next to each other, it will help the room feel more comfortable and balanced.
You should also find a balance between prints. Limit the number of bold patterns in a room to one or two to keep it from becoming overwhelming.
ADD STATEMENT PIECES
Whether it’s an art deco headboard or a vintage dining room table from the 1950s, go bold with one large statement piece. Personally, I have an antique marble coffee table from the 1970s in my living room and it works well in the space because it’s the only antique item in the room. This tip works well in a space that’s already neutral. When you add the antique vintage statement piece, it really makes the room pop.
USE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIGHTING
Having different lighting fixtures is a great and simple way to mix antique and modern furniture. If you’re unsure how to mix the two, start by browsing your local antique store for different kinds of lamps. You can easily add these lamps to any modern furnished room to add a touch of the past. These lamps could even be your statement piece in the room depending on how bold the lamp is. Not only will adding antique lamps to your apartment give you that antique touch you were looking for, but it will add more useful lighting to your apartment.
UTILIZE THE 80/20 RULE
When you are mixing antique and modern furniture, try following the 80/20 rule.
The 80/20 rule, also called the Pareto Rule, is a mathematical theory that has been adapted to fit a variety of situations. When decorating your apartment, the rule helps you decide where to put your effort because, in theory, 80 percent of the impact will come from 20 percent of the items. Picture a room that's 80 percent neutral: white walls, beige carpet, tan furniture. Now imagine a bright red chair in the corner. What draws your eye? It's a popular trick for interior designers, and it works with just about everything in your home. A small piece of furniture in a bold color will have the biggest impact on the overall design of the room.
Conversely, too much color would overwhelm the space. Imagine the same room with lime green walls, orange carpet, and bold-patterned furniture. The red chair in the corner no longer stands out because it's competing with too many other colorful elements.
To follow this rule when mixing modern and antique furniture, 80 percent of your furniture should be modern or antique, depending on what you want the consistent element to be, and 20 percent of your furniture should be the opposite, depending on what you want to stand out.
ADD RUGS
For a simple way to add antique pieces to your home, try adding antique rugs. This is a great way to mix modern and antique elements throughout your apartment without it seeming too overwhelming. You can add something like a hand-knotted Persian rug or even an animal-printed rug. If you have brightly colored furniture, choose earth-toned rugs to help tie the room together and tone it down. Adding rugs is not only a great way to add antique pieces to your home, but it also makes it cozie
PLAY WITH DIFFERENT COLOR COMBOS
Finally, when you begin combining antique and modern pieces of furniture in your home, it’s all about contrasting colors. Don’t be afraid to be bold when you are selecting your pieces of furniture. Choose two antique or modern pieces that have different bold colors. If you’re concerned about the colors clashing, make sure you’re choosing vibrant colors that have similar tones.
Hopefully, with these tips and tricks, you can continue antiquing and buying your favorite pieces, knowing they'll look great with the modern furniture in your apartment.
